Frederick j



June 19, 1923. 1,459,414

F. .1. PARKS ENVELOPE Filed April 16, 1917 2 Sheets-Sht 1 m/mvrm Frederick JParks A ATTORNEY F. J. PARKS ENVELOPE Jmie 19, 1923.

Filed --April 16 1917 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 3] vwemto'c k W P J m U MW n J m Patented June 19, 1923.

UNITED "STATES PATENT OFFICE.

,1 I FREDERICK J. PARKS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

ENVELOPE.

Application filed. April 16, 1917. Serial 1%. 162,247.

To all whom it may} concern:

5 Be it known that I, FREDERICK J. Plums,

a citizen of the United States, and a resi- -.dent of thecityand State of New York, 5 have invented. certain Improvements in Envelopes, of which the following is al specification. Y

v This invention relates to certain'improve ments inenvelopes, and more particularly in 0 that class of envelopes which are especially designed and adaptedfor use for mailing purposes, and which are provided with dis engageable closure members capable of being I disengaged to facilitate access. to theenclosure for inspection of the contents during trans'itthrough the mails, and the object of the invention is to provide an envelope of this general character of a simple and comparatively inexpensive nature having certain features of novelty and improvement whereby a secureand effective engagement of the closure members is assured to prevent accidental'loss of the contents of the envelope whilst at'the same time the disengagement of said members is facilitated inorder to afford greater convenience and sav- 1 ing of time whenever it is desired to open the envelope. 1

The invention consists in'certain novel features of the construction. and. combinations and arrangements of the parts of'the improved envelope, whereby certain impor .tant advantages are attained, and the en vvelope is rendered simple and commercially practicable and otherwisev better. adapted andrmore convenient and effective for use, all as will be hereinafter fully set forth; I

The novel features of the invention will be carefully defined in the claims.

In-order that my improvements may be thebetter-understood I will now proceed to describe the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein- I Figure 1 is a perspective view showing an. envelope provided with my improvements, in closed condition;

Figure 2 is an enlargedfragmentary sectional view t aken through the disengageable closure members and illustrating certain. features of construction which will be hereinafter described; 5 i Figure 3'is a. fragmentary enlarged rear face view of the improved envelope, showingcertain features of the closure members 1 Which will be hereinafter described;

Figure isaview somewhat similar to Figure 2, but illustrating a somewhat different formation of the closing flap of the envelope.

Figure 5 is a sectional perspective view showing the several parts in partially folded position, and I Figure 6 is a plan view of the blank from which the improved envelope is made.

Asshown in these views, the improved envelope is made from a blank having front andback plies or portions 2 and 3, integrally joined by a transverse fold 1 affording a permanent closure along that edge of the envelope which is opposite to its mouth, one of said plies or portions, as for example,

the front ply or portion 2, being provided with integral side flaps or extensions 6, 6,

extended along the opposite parallel sides or' edges, which are folded over behind and scaled down upon the corresponding lateral edge portions of the rear ply 3' so as to afford permanent closures along the opposite lateral edges of the envelope.

Along the mouth of the envelope, one of its plies or portions as, for example, the rear ply or portion 3, is provided with an integral outwardly and rearwardly folded two ply portion 5, whose extremities are secured beneath the adjacent ends of the side flaps 6, 6, so as to afford a pocket extended along and parallel with the mouth of the envelope and open at its side parallel with and opposite to said mouth for the reception of a closing flap 9, integrally produced upon and projecting from the edge of the front portion or ply 2 along the opposite side of the envelope mouth, and adapted to be folded across said mouth and upon'the rear surface of the envelope outside the two ply strip or band 4, and to be tucked into the pocket to afford a closure for the mouth of the envelope adapted to retain its contents but capable of being opened upon withdrawal of said flap from the pocket, to permit access to the envelope during trans1t through the mails or otherwise.

The flap 9 is provided with transverse parallel folds or creases 12 and 14,'reversed one to the other, and spaced apart in such a manner as to divide said flap into a plurality of integrally joinedor connected portions 10, 15 and 16, which as herein shown are approximately equal in width, measured lengthwise of the flap, the portion 10 adjacent to the envelope mouth extending the full width of the latter so as to be adapted to be folded across the same to close said mouth effectively, and having opposite lateral edges 11, 11, beveled or tapered conformably to and adapted to fit between the correspondingly beveled parts 8, 8 of the side flaps 6, 6 where the latter are scaled down over and upon the ends of the two ply band or strip 4: forming the pocket. v

The portions and 16 of the closing flap, beyond said portion 10. and integrally joined with. each other by the crease or told 14 are adapted to be pressed flat or flush one upon the other, as indicated in Figures 2 and 4, and to be inserted within the pocket formed by the two ply band or'strip 4 so asto aiforda two ply member freely in sertiblein such pocket to close the mouth of the envelope a'ndeapable of bein readily withdrawn therefrom whenever it isdesired to open the envelope for inspection of its contents or other purpose, it being apparent that the provision of the two ply part of the closing flap, comprising the portions 15 and 16, aflords greater security against accidem tal opening of the envelope, by reason of its increased resistance to withdrawal from the pocket, whilst the fold or crease 14, being formed reversely to the fold. 12, is conven iently engageable by the fingers to facilitate insertion of said folded'two ply portion in the pocket in closing the envelope.

The closure of the envelope is further facilltated by the formation of the pocket as herein shown from the two ply strip or band 4, presenting a resilient rounded edge pora tion it along the mouth of the pocket at the point where its inner and outer plies are integra lly joined or Connected by the fold or crease of the paper, and which is adapted normally or before insertion of the closing thus provided, in connection with the inherent resilience of the rounded edge portion 4; facilitates the insertion of the closing flap" and assures its retention in the pocket against accidental withdrawal. v

The looseness ofthe central part of the two ply band orstrip 4 requisite to assure the normal narrow opening along the mouth of the pocket, and the rounded resilient formation of the edge portion 4: of said band' or strip, is provided in folding over and sealing down the end portions 8. '8 of ltheside flaps" 6, 6' upon the extremities of said bandor strip 4, such folding over and, sealing down of the side flaps being effected.

under pressure which operates to fiattenthe folded edge portion Pot the band. or strip sure ofthe free edge portion 5* of its central portion, being free from such flattening pressure, is caused or permitted to spring away from the rear surface 3 of the envelope by reason of the resilience of said rounded edge portion 4 and the presv theply 5 upon the envelope surface. s o

The two ply band or strip 4 also affords reinforcement of the pocketso that the same is not so likely to be torn. 0 en and if desired increased security is a orded by pasting or cementing the extremities of the ina ner ply 5 of said two ply band or striplupon said surface dot the envelope as seen In dotted lines at 5", 5" in Figure 3, whereby the two ply band or strip has each end at tached not only to the side flaps 6', 6,;vbut

also to the rear surface of'the envelope body. As herein shown, the portions 15 and '16 of'the' closing flap, which are insertibledn the pocket to close the envelope are each in width approximately equal to the depth of the pocket, and one of said portions herein shown as theterminal portion 16, is pro vided at its edge with a central integral extension 17, adaptedwhen said portions 15 and 16am inserted in the pocket, to project rearwardly from and outside the same, as indicated in Figures '1 and 2, so as to aflord a finger hold which may readilyhe seized by the fingers to facilitate the withdrawalof the closing flap from the pocket whenever it is desired to open the envelope.

The breadth of the portions 15 and 16 as indicated in Figure 3, is such that the smooth parallel lateral edges 18, 18 thereof are adapted, when the closing'flap is tucked in the pocket, to fit snugly-between the edges of the side flaps 6, 6 to afi'ord secure engagement of the closing flap in the pocket'and Without interfering with the ready disengagement of said closing flap from the made according to my invention is of an extremely simple and comparatively in'expensive nature, and is particularly well adapted for use by reason of the security with which'the closure members afl'orde'd by the flowing flap and ocket are retained in' position when engage to prevent accidental 'o'penmg and loss ofthe envelope contents,

and of-the convenience with which these for opening the envelope, and it will also be obvious from the above description that the envelope is susceptible of some modification without material departure from the prin- -prevent its accidental withdrawal therefrom members may be disengaged when "desired ciplesand spirit of the invention, as defined in the appendedelaims, and for this reason I do not desire to be understood as limiting myself to the precise formation and arrangement of the several partsas herein set forth in carrying out my invention in practice.

For example, the portions and 1.6 of the closing flap of the envelope may be partially or wholly pasted or otherwise secured together as indicated in Figure 4, to afford a somewhat rigid and unyielding part adapted for ready introduction within the pocket and withdrawal therefrom.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- 1. An envelope formed from a blank, said blank consisting of a rectangular portion whose free end is to be double-folded, said rectangular portion being connected to a wider second portion having side edges to be creased and folded and whosefree end is to be triple-creased and folded, said envelope having said two portions folded upon one,

another, a two-ply pocket flap formed on said first-named portion on the free end thereof with the end plyfacing inwardly to form a pocket adjacent the mouth of the envelope, side flaps formed along opposite sides of said second named portion and folded back and secured tothe side edges of the said first named portion and the corresponding edges of the said pocket flap, and a three-fold closure flap formed on the free, end of said second named portion and folded over said pocket flap and detachably interlocked in doubled form in said pocket, the terminal fold member of said closure flapbein of greater length thanthe other fold mem ers thereof and extending beyond the edges of'the said pocket and constituting a tongue for Withdrawing the closure flap from the said pocket.

2. An envelope formed from a blank, said blank consisting of a rectangular portion whose free end is to be doublefolded, said rectangular portion being connected to a wider second portion having side edges tobe creased and folded and whose free end is to be triple-creased and folded, said envelope having said two portions folded upon one another, a two-ply pocket flap formed on said first-named portion on the free end thereof with the end ply facing inwardly to form a pocket adjacent the mouthof the envelope, said pocket flap being secured at its ends to the contiguous side portions of said first named portion, side flaps formed along opposite sides of said second named portion and folded back and secured to the side edge of the said first named portion and the corr sponding edges of the said pocket flap, and a three-fold closure flap formed on the free end of said second named portion and folded over said pocket flap and det-achably interlocked in doubled form in said pocket, the terminal fold member of said closure flap being of greater length than the other fold members thereof and extending beyond the edges of the said pocket and constituting a tongue for withdrawing the closure flap from the said pocket.

3. An envelope formed from a blank, said blank consisting of a rectangular portion whose free end is to be double-folded, said rectangular portion being connected to a wider second portion having side edges to be creased and folded and whose free end is to be triple-creased and folded, said envelope having said two portions folded upon one another, a two-ply pocket flap formed on said first-named portion on the free end thereof with the end ply facing inwardly and engaging said first named portion and secured at. its ends to the contiguous side portions of said first named portion to form a pocket adjacent the mouth of the envelope, side flaps formed along opposite sides of said second named portion and folded back and secured to the side edges of the said first named portion and the corresponding edges of said pocket flap, said pocket flap having flattened extremities and being provided 'with a resilient edge portion, and a threefold closure flap formed on the free end of said second named portion and foldedover FREDERICK J. PARKS. 

